Let Chanel tell you its story

Chanel is one of those luxury houses enjoying a rich heritage, built on a brilliant founder and his/her vision. Gabrielle Chanel played a role in women’s emancipation, she dared to say what she thought and she embodied her brand to perfection. She also broke the rule in fashion, jewelry and perfumery and her audacity and vision of free women are now part of Chanel’s DNA.

To leverage this strong history, closely linked to a –literally– extraordinary founder, Chanel has long told its story through ads, product names (think of the Coco and Mademoiselle Coco perfumes, both echoing to Gabrielle’s nickname), and more recently, a website called Inside Chanel.

Inside Chanel is a platform dedicated to Chanel’s history. Quite a paradise for marketers who love a bit of storytelling. And this is a field where Chanel has always been great. With 12 videos, pictures, drawings, ad campaigns, and a chronology, the website immerse visitors into the brand’s universe.

N°5 on Inside Chanel (source: Chanel)

Such a website is a strong tool for luxury brands to make customers feel closer to the brand. Here, Chanel tells different stories: from key products (N°5, the jacket, jewels) to the vision of the brand according to its artistic directors (Gabrielle, Karl Lagerfeld)… The contents are of high quality, and do tell a story, full of interesting and instructive facts. The brand shares a part of itself with demanding consumers who want to feel involved with the house. It extends the user experience with the brand from an in-store or online visit and purchase, to a moment of sharing. And this is something luxury brands should keep on exploiting as it is a key differentiating element between luxury houses. Every house is unique so they should insist on their unique history to build stronger relationships with consumers.